Ok, it’s time to talk about this.

Forspoken’s official release date is today, January 24, 2023, the review embargo has been lifted, and it’s time for the general mediocrity that is this game to have its moment in the sun.

Square Enix didn’t bother sending out PC review codes to the gaming news outlets so keep in mind that all of the following reviews are for the PlayStation 5 version of the game.

“Where the story and general combat are hit-and-miss, movement is excellent throughout.”

Game Informer

Game Informer has already been done dirty by Forspoken’s Launch Trailer, so their review is going up first. Kyle Hillard, the author of the review adds: “The narrative won’t linger with me, and I avoided combat in the open world often, but I loved making Frey leap and fly through Athia to discover all its treasure chests and secrets.” and gives Forspoken 7.5 out of 10.

“Some things are better left unsaid”

IGN

IGN’s Tom Marks was not entertained, writing: “Forspoken’s flashy combat and parkour can be fun, but they aren’t enough to make its cliche story and barebones open world very interesting to explore.”. This is all to say that Forspoken is a 6/10 game in IGN’s eyes.

“Forspoken is a clunky game with awkward dialogue and characterisation, but the gameplay shines bright.”

The Gamer

Ryan Thomas Bamsey gave Forspoken 3.5/5, saying: “Despite its flaws, I enjoyed my time with Forspoken. While the narrative is janky at times, the premise is compelling and the world of Athia is exceedingly well-built. The movement is where the game shines, making exploration a joy instead of a chore.”

“Forspoken is visually stimulating and a musical delight, but boring combat, poor characterization, and loose movement mechanics make for a mediocre experience.”

Gamespot

For Jordan Ramée, Forspoken was just ok, right down the middle. Movement mechanics and the music got the thumbs up but the forgettable characters, an excess of exposition, and unbalanced combat dragged it down to the final score of 5/10.

“An exceptionally middling experience”

GamesRadar+

Rollin Bishop’s experience with Forspoken was also mediocre. “Forspoken shines brightest when its protagonist is dipping, ducking, and diving along the generally striking world of Athia while casting a variety of spells, but the standard fish-out-of-water fantasy story of Frey only subtracts from the experience.” Bishop writes, giving the game a 2.5 out of 5.

“If I hadn’t already felt disappointed with the game, I certainly would at its conclusion.”

Polygon

Polygon’s Grayson Morley didn’t add a numbered score to his review but did have some things to say, calling Forspoken’s tone “unintentionally absurd” and lamenting its references to Alice in Wonderland when, in reality, Athia comes across as very bland.

Did you play Forspoken? What did you think about it and does it get more hate than it deserves?